[B-Greek] Definition of an anarthrous noun.

virgil newkirk virgilsalvage1 at msn.com
Mon Jun 14 14:06:43 EDT 2004




----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Hal Goodnight" <jwdefender17 at yahoo.com>
To: <b-greek at lists.ibiblio.org>
Sent: Sunday, June 13, 2004 7:15 PM
Subject: [B-Greek] Definition of an anarthrous noun.


> Hello, list members. I was curious if the
> knowledgeable members of this list could clear up a
> matter for me. I have an aquaintence who claims to
> know a great deal of Greek, whereas I am an amateur.
> When he asked me what an anarthrous noun was, I told
> him it was a noun that lacked the definite article. (A
> articular, or arthrous, noun would thus be a noun that
> has the definite article.) He said this was wrong, and
> later suggested that my definition was the "simple"
> definition and there was a more complicated definition
> (somewhere), but he's never told me what the real
> definition was.
>
> If anyone could clear up this matter for me, I'd
> appreciate it.
>
> Regards,
>
> Mark Davis.


Mark,

With regards to anarthrous nouns; I've been helped by an explanation found 
in Spiros Zodhiates's Complete Word Study New Testament under "grammatical 
notations" :

 5. Anarthrous (an) refers to a word or group of words which appear without 
a definite article ( ho,he,to'[3588],the). Greek has no indefinite article, 
"a" or "an" in English. Sometimes it is best to translate an anarthrous word 
by supplying "a" or "an" before it. In fact, due to reasons of English style 
or Greek idiom, the word "the" is even an appropriate translations in some 
cases. However, there are many times when supplying an article would be 
incorrect. Anarthrous constructions are most often intended to point out the 
quality of something: Toigaroun kai hemeis tosouton echontes perikeimenon 
hemin "nephos" marturon, " Wherefore, seeing we also are compassed about 
with so great "cloud" of witnesses" (Heb 12:1). See also 24

Notation 24. The "Definite Article" in Greek is sometimes translated with 
the English definite article "the." However, the function of the two is 
quite different. In English, the definite article serves merely to 
particularize, to refer to a particular object. In Greek, however, it serves 
to emphasize, in some way, the person or thing it modifies. Hence, in most 
cases, the definite article  in Greek serves to identify: di hupomones 
trechomen ton prokeimeonon hemin agona, " and let us run with patience "the" 
race that is set before us" (Heb 12:1). The term "articular" refers to a 
word or group of words which appear with a definite article (ho,he,to 
[3588], the). There is perhaps no other part of Greek grammar where the 
Greek idiom differs so greatly from the English. For instance, an English 
grammarian would never place the definitie article before a proper noun 
(e.g., the "Thomas"), though in Greek it is very common. Rcognizing the 
significance of the presence or absence of the definite article requires the 
most intimate knowledge of the Greek language. Contrast the use of articular 
constructions with anarthrous constuctions which refers to quality. See also 
notation 5





Virgil Newkirk
Salt Lake City, Utah 



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